Bing Yao
About Zhengbin (Bing) Yao
Independent director at Alumis (ALMS), Class II; age 59; director since 2021. He is CEO and chairman of ArriVent Biopharma and brings deep immunology and biopharma operating experience. Education: Ph.D., Microbiology & Immunology (University of Iowa); M.S., Immunology (Anhui Medical University). Independence affirmed by the Board under Nasdaq rules. Attendance in 2024 met the ≥75% threshold.
Past Roles
| Organization | Role | Tenure | Committees/Impact |
|---|---|---|---|
| Viela Bio, Inc. | CEO, President; Chairman (from Jan 2019) | Mar 2018–Mar 2021 | Company acquired by Horizon Therapeutics in Mar 2021 |
| MedImmune (AstraZeneca) | SVP, Head Respiratory/Inflammation/Autoimmune iMED; also SVP, Head Immuno-Oncology Franchise | Oct 2010–Feb 2018 (IO: Oct 2015–Feb 2018) | Therapeutic area leadership across RIA and IO |
| Genentech | Head of PTL for Immunology, Infectious Diseases, Neuroscience, Metabolic Disease | Mar 2008–Sep 2010 | Cross-functional development leadership |
| Tanox | Various leadership roles; VP & Head of Research | Oct 2000–Sep 2007 | Company later acquired by Genentech in 2007 |
External Roles
| Organization | Role | Since | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| ArriVent Biopharma | CEO and Chairman | May 2021–present | Operating CEO role concurrent with ALMS directorship |
| Visen Pharmaceuticals | Director | Not disclosed | Board seat at biopharma company |
| Nikang Therapeutics, Inc. | Director | Not disclosed | Board seat at biotech company |
Board Governance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Board classification | Class II director |
| Independence | Board determined all non-CEO directors, including Yao, are independent; committee members meet Nasdaq/SEC independence standards |
| Committee assignments (current) | Member, Nominating & Corporate Governance Committee (effective Jun 3, 2025) |
| Committee changes | Ceased serving on Compensation Committee and joined Governance Committee effective Jun 3, 2025 |
| Chair roles | None (Governance Committee chaired by Sapna Srivastava) |
| Lead Independent Director | Role held by Sapna Srivastava (appointed Jun 2025), not Yao |
| Attendance | Board met 12 times in 2024; each director attended ≥75% of Board and committee meetings for their service period |
| Independent sessions | Independent directors met in executive session 4 times in 2024 |
| Board self-evaluation | Annual Board and committee self-evaluations conducted; Board concluded effective operation for 2024 |
| Time commitments | Board reviewed director commitments; concluded directors are not overboarded |
Fixed Compensation
| Component | 2024 Amount | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Cash fees (director retainer/committees/meetings) | $24,272 | Actual cash earned in 2024 |
| 2025 Policy: Annual cash retainer | $40,000 | Applies to non-employee directors beginning Feb 2025 |
| 2025 Policy: Committee member retainers | Audit $10,000; Compensation $7,500; Governance $5,000 | Additional annual retainers for committee service |
| 2025 Policy: Committee chair retainers | Audit Chair $20,000; Compensation Chair $15,000; Governance Chair $10,000 | In lieu of member fee if chair |
Performance Compensation
| Component | 2024 Amount | Grant Size/Status | Vesting/Terms |
|---|---|---|---|
| Stock option awards (grant date FV) | $408,074 | Aggregate 2024 option award value | Director options under policy vest monthly over 3 years (initial grants) or to next annual meeting for annual grants; 10-year term; accelerate on Change in Control (per 2025 policy) |
| Options outstanding (12/31/24) | — | 35,294 options | Outstanding director options count as of year-end 2024 |
Note: Company conducted an option repricing on Mar 29, 2024 reducing exercise prices of certain outstanding options (including those held by Board members) to $8.84 to retain/incentivize while preserving cash; not specified by individual director. This is a governance sensitivity to monitor.
Other Directorships & Interlocks
| Company | Type | Relationship to ALMS |
|---|---|---|
| ArriVent Biopharma | Operating role; CEO/Chair | No ALMS related-party transactions disclosed involving Yao – |
| Visen Pharmaceuticals | Director | No ALMS related-party transactions disclosed involving Yao – |
| Nikang Therapeutics, Inc. | Director | No ALMS related-party transactions disclosed involving Yao – |
Expertise & Qualifications
- Immunology and autoimmune drug development leadership; prior SVP roles spanning RIA and IO, and CEO experience at Viela Bio through sale to Horizon.
- Technical credentials (Ph.D., Microbiology & Immunology; M.S., Immunology) align with ALMS’s therapeutic focus.
- Current operating CEO perspective at ArriVent provides contemporary development/commercial readiness insights.
Equity Ownership
| Category | Shares | % of Voting Power | As-of |
|---|---|---|---|
| Common shares owned (direct) | 23,529 | <1% | Jun 4, 2025 |
| Options exercisable within 60 days | 14,617 | — | Jun 4, 2025 |
| Total beneficial ownership | 38,146 | <1% | Jun 4, 2025 |
Ownership/hedging policies:
- Company prohibits hedging, derivatives, options trading in company stock, holding in margin accounts, and pledging as collateral. No pledging by Yao is disclosed.
Governance Assessment
- Strengths: Independent director with strong domain expertise; meets attendance thresholds; appropriate committee assignment (Governance) after stepping off Compensation; robust insider trading and clawback policies in place at company level.
- Potential watch items:
- Option repricing (Mar 2024) included Board option holders—often a shareholder-sensitive practice; ongoing scrutiny warranted for director equity actions.
- Concurrent operating CEO role at ArriVent plus other boards increases time demands; Board states it reviews commitments and considers directors not overboarded. Monitor workload and meeting attendance going forward.
- Conflicts/related parties: The proxy’s related-party section lists transactions tied to large holders (Foresite, AyurMaya, Baker Brothers) and a services agreement with Foresite Labs; no Yao-specific related party transactions disclosed. –
Appendix: Director Pay Details (2024)
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Fees earned or paid in cash | $24,272 |
| Option awards (grant date FV) | $408,074 |
| Total | $432,346 |
Appendix: Committee Matrix (context)
- Current Governance Committee: Srivastava (Chair), Machado, Yao. Yao appointed Jun 3, 2025 (and ceased Compensation Committee service).